The Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University has implemented a REU program providing significant research experiences in agricultural and food engineering. The objectives are: 1) promote student growth in competence, confidence, and self-esteem by managing a research project; 2) enhance student written and oral communication skills through research presentations; 3) interest students in research careers and graduate study by having them join working research groups in agricultural or food engineering. After selecting a topic area, each participant will join a research group and be assisted by faculty in defining a research problem. The student will define the problem in a proposal, carry out a project, and present results orally and in a written report. The student will refine the report and enter it in one or more undergraduate student paper competitions. Suitable papers will be published in refereed journals.
